Shuttle



Dec. 24, 1968 FIGZ G. T. GURNEY O 3,417,792

SHUTTLE Filed Oct. 14, 1966 M/ww/a ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,417,792 SHUTTLE Gordon T. Gurney, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Corporation, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 586,882 8 Claims. (Cl. 139-125) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gripper shuttle which has fixed and movable gripping jaws, with the movable jaw being urged into gripping contact with the fixed jaw by a spring acting through a toggle-like system of links and levers.

The present invention relates to loom shuttles and more particularly to the bobbin-free gripper type shuttle used in looms having an outside filling supply, one of which is known by the Crompton & Knowles trade name OFS. An example of such a loom is fully disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 489,869 for Looms Operating With Multicolor Stationary Wett Supply filled Sept. 24, 1'965 in the name of Oscar V. Payne and commonly assigned with the instant application.

Various types of bobbin-free gripper shuttles are known, and the Payneapplication, supra, discloses a common type wherein the gripper jaws are latched in their closed or gripping position. This construction has performed well but comprises a rather complicated mechanism which does not give a uniform jaw pressure for various sizes of yarn.

An object of the invention is to provide a bobbin-free gripper shuttle with an improved gripping means which is simple in construction, easy to assemble and effective to grip a wide range of different sizes of yarn.

The above object is achieved by the provision of a shuttle which has stationary and movable gripping jaws, with the movable jaw normally being urged into intimate contact with the fixed jaw. This jaw is urged into contact by means of a toggle-like system of lever and linkage means. One end of the lever is pivotally connected to the body of the shuttle and the other end of the lever is pivotally connected to one end of the linkage. The other end of the linkage is pivotally connected to the movable jaw which is guided to move towards and away from the fixed jaw. The center of the connection between the linkage and the lever is offset from a straight line drawn through the centers of the connections between the lever and the body on the one hand and between the linkage and the movable jaw on the other hand. Resilient means in the form of either a spiral or a coil spring may be utilized to exert a force which tend-s to move the connection between the linkage and the lever into alignment with the other two connections so that the movable jaw is urged against the fixed jaw. The jaws are opened by application of a force in opposition to the resilient means to move the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw.

Having briefly described the invention, an embodiment thereof will now be described in more detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a front perspective view of the assembled shuttle; and

FIG. y2 is a plan view of the shuttle gripping mechanism with parts broken away for sake of clarity.

As seen in FIG. 1 the shuttle 10 comprises a top body portion 12 and a bottom portion 14. At either end of the shuttle are gripping jaws 16 (one of which is open and the other is closed) which include fixed jaws 18 and movable jaws 20. The central portion of the shuttle is provided with a postioner passage 22 with guide rollers 24 ice mounted on pivots 26 located on either side of the passage. These rollers contact the positioner 28 (FIG. 2) to properly position the shuttle in the manner disclosed in detail in the Payne application, supra.

As seen in FIG. 2 movable jaw 20 is an elongate body which is free to slide along its longitudinal axis within a guide 30 towards and away from fixed jaw 18 to grip or hold a yarn within the jaws. The end of the movable jaw, opposite its gripping surface, is pivotally connected at 19 to an adjustable linkage 32 which comprises a shaft 32 which is threaded into a sleeve 32 in order that the length of the linkage may be adjusted. Sleeve 32" is pivotally connected as at 33 to one end of the lever 34 which may be L-shaped, but could obviously take other shapes. The other end of lever 34 is mounted on pivot 26 along with roller 24, mentioned above.

Thus, linkage 32 and lever 34 constitute a toggle-like mechanism in that the center of connection 33 is offset from a straight line drawn through pivots 19 and 26, even when the jaws are closed but it will normally closely approach alignment with the centers of pivots 19 and 26 and, if desired, could come into complete alignment.

The jaws are normally held closed by the action of a resilient means such as spring 36 which exerts a force on the linkage and/or the lever tending to urge pivot 33 toward alignment with pivots 19 and 26. It will be appreciated that the resilient means could be in the form of a coil spring supported, e.g. about pivot 26, as well as the spiral spring 36 shown in FIG. 2. Any resilient means will suffice so long as it is positioned so as to exert a force on pivot 33 tending to bring it into alignment with pivots 19 and 26.

It will be noted that FIGS. l and 2 illustrate the use Of guide plates 40 which fit between the top body portion 12 and movable jaw 20.

In operation, the gripping jaws are opened by means of plungers 38 (only one of which is shown) which engage surface 35 of lever 34 to pivot it about pivot 26 in opposition to the force exerted by spring 36. Thus, as lever 34 pivots towards the back of the shuttle the movable jaw slides within its guide away from contact with the fixed jaw to open the jaw to release the filling yarn or to receive a new yarn as fully disclosed in the Payne application, supra.

While a specific example of the invention has been fully described hereinbefore, it will be appreciated that Various changes will be obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bobbin-free gripper shuttle for use in outside filling supply looms comprising:

(a) a shuttle body;

(b) a fixed gripper jaw adjacent one end of said body;

(c) a movable filling gripper jaw;

(d) lever means, one end of which is pivotally connected to said shuttle body;

(e) linkage means pivotally connected to said movable jaw at a first point and to the other end of said lever means at a second point spaced from the first point; and

(f) resilient means for exerting a force on the linkage means and the lever means to urge the movable jaw into intimate abutting contact with the fixed jaw.

2. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the movable jaw is shaped to conform with the fixed jaw whereby intimate contact is achieved between the jaws throughout their gripping surfaces.

3. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said movable jaw is an elongated member which moves in a straight line whereby said intimate contact between said jaws is achieved substantially simultaneously.

4. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the length of the linkage means is adjustable.

5. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ycenter of said second pivot point is offset from a straight line drawn through the centers of said rst pivot point and said pivotal connection of the lever means on the shuttle body; said resilient means exerting a force tending t0 move said second pivot point into alignment said straight line.

6. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the movable jaw is shaped to conform with the xed jaw whereby intimate Contact is achieved between the jaws throughout their gripping surfaces.

7. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 5 wherein said movable jaw is an elongated member which moves in a straight line whereby said intimate Contact between said jaws is achieved substantially simultaneously.

8. In a shuttle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the length of the linkage means is adjustable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS u ROBERT R. MACKEY, Prima/'y Examiner.

JAMES KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

